Editing This Is Spinal Tap (section)

==Plot==
Filmmaker Martin "Marty" Di Bergi is filming a documentary about English rock band [[Spinal Tap (band)|Spinal Tap]]'s 1982 United States [[concert tour]] to promote their new album, ''Smell the Glove''. The band comprises childhood friends David St. Hubbins and Nigel Tufnel on vocals and guitar, bassist Derek Smalls, keyboardist Viv Savage, and drummer Mick Shrimpton.

The documentary shows Spinal Tap's early days as the [[skiffle]] group The Originals; they renamed themselves the New Originals when it was discovered another band was already called The Originals, only to change it back when the original Originals broke up. They later had a hit as the Thamesmen, "Gimme Some Money," before changing their name to Spinal Tap and achieving a significant hit with the [[flower power]] anthem "Listen to the Flower People"; they subsequently began performing [[heavy metal music]]. Several of the band's previous drummers died under strange circumstances: John "Stumpy" Pepys died in a "bizarre gardening accident" that police said was better left unsolved, Eric "Stumpy Joe" Childs died choking on someone else's vomit, and Peter "James" Bond [[spontaneous human combustion|exploded on stage]]. Nigel shows Marty his extensive guitar collection (including one that is so valuable it cannot even be looked at, much less played), as well as a custom-made [[amplifier]] that has volume knobs that go [[up to eleven]]; Nigel believes this makes the amplifier "one louder" than most other amplifiers, which have "ten" as the highest volume setting.

[[File:Spinal_Tap_-_Up_to_Eleven.jpg|thumb|left|Nigel's amplifier dials that have "eleven" as the highest volume setting. This scene is the origin of the phrase [[up to eleven]].]]
Tensions rise between the band and their manager, Ian Faith, as several shows are canceled due to low ticket sales, and major retailers refuse to sell ''Smell the Glove'' because of its sexist cover art. David's girlfriend Jeanine, a [[yoga as exercise|yoga]] and [[astrology]] devotee, joins the group on tour and participates in band meetings. Nigel and Ian dislike Jeanine's ideas for Spinal Tap's costumes and stage presentation. Without consulting Spinal Tap, the band's record label releases ''Smell the Glove'' with an entirely black album cover. Despite Ian's assertion that it could have a similar appeal to [[the Beatles]]' ''[[The Beatles (album)|White Album]]'', ''Smell the Glove'' fails to sell.

Nigel suggests staging a lavish, Druid-themed [[glam rock]] show and asks Ian to order a [[Stonehenge]] [[trilithon]]. However, Nigel mislabels its dimensions, and the resulting prop is only {{convert|18|in|cm}} high rather than {{convert|18|ft|m}}, making the group a laughing stock. The group blames Ian, and when David suggests Jeanine should co-manage the group, Ian quits. The tour continues, rescheduled for much smaller venues, and Jeanine and David increasingly marginalize Nigel. At a gig at a [[United States Air Force]] base, Nigel is upset by an equipment malfunction and quits mid-performance. At their next gig, in an amphitheater at an amusement park where the band is billed below a puppet show, the band finds their repertoire is severely limited without Nigel. At Derek's suggestion, the band improvises an experimental "Jazz Odyssey", which is poorly received.

On the last day of the tour, David and Derek consider ending Spinal Tap and exploring other projects, such as a musical about [[Jack the Ripper]] called ''Saucy Jack''. Before they go on stage, Nigel arrives and tells them that Spinal Tap's song "Sex Farm" has become [[Big in Japan (phrase)|a major hit in Japan]] and that Ian wants to arrange a tour there. David bitterly refuses, but later, as Nigel watches the band performing from the wings, David relents and invites Nigel to join the band onstage, delighting the crowd but infuriating Jeanine. During the performance, Mick explodes on stage. Ian is rehired as the group's manager, and Spinal Tap (now with Joe "Mama" Besser as their drummer) performs a series of sold-out shows in Japan.